Colorado Money Launderer Gets Jail Time

Posted By
The Gilbert Law Group

As promised, I am following-up on my previous article, “Corruption
on Colorado’s North Metro Drug Task Force?”
The Denver Post reported on April 1, 2010 that Dan Tang, prominent owner
of a Thornton Chinese restaurant, was sentenced in U.S. District Court
to an 18-month prison sentence for his part in financing a marijuana growing
operation.
Tang’s attorneys had recommended probation. The U.S. Attorney’s
Office had recommended a sentence ranging from 11 to 30 months, which
is well below the guideline of 70 to 87 months in prison for this type
of offense. According to an Assistant U.S. Attorney, this sentencing concession
was made because she believes Tang had a “diminished role’
in the marijuana-growing organization.
Responding to the defense request for probation, the judge said, “I
just don’t understand why he shouldn’t go to jail. . . . If
it means discomfort for him, so be it. If it means the [restaurant] business
has to perform in different ways, that is a consequence of his criminal
conduct.”
It should be noted that the growing operation probably could not have
operated without Tang’s financial contribution. If this is the “diminished
role” the Assistant U.S. Attorney was referring to, it is difficult
to imagine what a major role would be.